Microsoft has so far refused to sell a full version of Office for the iPad - and that could be costing it billions, according to one analyst.In a research note last week, Adam Holt of Morgan Stanley said Office for iOS could be worth $2.5bn in revenue a year to Microsoft, according to a report in Forbes.
"Office on iPad could be a several billion dollar opportunity," Holt writes in his research note. "While [Microsoft] has resisted offering a full version of Office for the iOS, the company may ultimately decide there is more upside with Office on iPads, particularly if [Windows] tablets fall short of expectations."
Holt doesn't think Office Web Apps, which are accessed through a browser, offer enough functionality, adding that a recent survey by his firm suggested 60% of respondents thought Office was key for tablet use.
That's one reason Microsoft may choose to hold Office back: it's a selling point for its own Surface tablets, as well as those made by third-party manufacturers running Windows 8.
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Topic: Is Office on iPad worth $2.5bn to Microsoft? (Read 3469 times)